New Delhi, Feb 28 (UNI) Hockey India today announced the appointment of former Dutch player Sjoerd Marijne as the Chief Coach for Women’s Hockey for the next four years. With the Indian Senior Men and Junior Men’s Teams climbing the ranks in the world scene, Hockey India is focused on bringing similar results with the Indian Women’s Hockey Teams. Marijne will be working with fellow Dutchman Eric Wonink, who will take charge as the Analytical Coach with the Senior Women Hockey Team. The coaching duo will oversee the Indian Senior Women’s Team's programmes for this new Olympic cycle and have joined the national camp that is underway at the Sports Authority of India campus, Bhopal. "I am very excited to take on this new assignment. From what I have followed about the Indian Women’s Team, they are a very talented and hard working group of women and I believe they have got great potential to establish themselves as a strong team in world hockey,” stated Sjoerd Marijne on taking charge of the camp.

“We are happy to bring on board Sjoerd Marijne and Eric Wonink who will be working with the Senior Women’s Team in this new Olympic cycle. The Women’s Team has made good progress over the past few years by qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics and winning the 2016 Women's Asian Champions Trophy. The Women’s Team has great potential and talent to register better results in the following years and we believe Sjoerd and Eric will help the team achieve newer heights. I wish them all the very best in this pursuit,” stated Md Mushtaque Ahmad, General Secretary, Hockey India. Sjoerd, who has played for The Netherlands, led the Dutch Under-21 Women’s side to a World Cup title as well as the Dutch Senior Women’s side to a Gold at the Hockey World League semi-finals in 2015. Between 2011-2014, Sjoerd was the national Head Coach for The Netherlands Under-21 Men apart from a short stint with Liaoning Men China, before taking on the new assignment here in India. UNI NC SHK 1918